Alden Terrace student study Maya Angelou

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Alden Terrace School in Elmont partnered with the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture for a virtual assembly on Feb. 11 focused on the famed Black poet and civil rights activist Maya Angelou.

At the event, which was held during Black History Month, childhood educators at NMAAHC educators “taught the students about the poet’s life and her many contributions,” the Elmont Union Free School District said in a statement.

Angelou, who died in 2014, was revered as a spokesperson for Black people and Black women, and her works revolved around themes of racism and Black identity. She is remembered for intentionally changing the structure of autobiographies, allowing her to become one of the first female African-American writers to publicly discuss elements of her personal life.

Following discussion of Angelou, Alden Terrace School students participated in an arts and craft project with museum educators.

The activity was designed to highlight Angelou’s famous quote: “Be a rainbow in someone else’s cloud.” Students created their own rainbows using colored pencils, tissue paper, glitter, cotton balls and other art materials.

The museum included an educator on the Zoom call who communicated in American Sign Language to ensure that the assembly was accessible to all participants, the district said.

—Robert Traverso